Castillo worked out of an office at 1190 S. Bascom Ave. and provided immigration services without clearance from the California Secretary of State, according to the sheriff’s office. She also allegedly did not have the $100,000 bond needed to operate such a business.

Her victims suffered “significant financial losses” and “lost immigration opportunities,” according to the sheriff’s office. She allegedly received money for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, applications and neglected to mail completed applications to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service.

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“Santa Clara County has a very diverse population comprised of immigrant families from various nationalities,” Sgt. Rich Glennon wrote in a news release Tuesday. “It is critical that those in need of immigration services know that the providers they hire are both competent and are providing services that comply with legal standards.”

Glennon added that the sheriff’s office is available to help families seek justice regardless of their immigration status.

Jason Green is a breaking news reporter for the Bay Area News Group. He works week nights and spends most of his time covering crime and public safety. A graduate of UC Santa Barbara and the University of Southern California, he cut his teeth at the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin and the Palo Alto Daily News, and has been with the Bay Area News Group since its inception.

"There is a general recognition that we don't need these military-style weapons in New Zealand, so it's very easy to win cross-party support for this," said Mark Mitchell, who was defense minister in the previous, center-right government and who supports the ban initiated by the center-left-led Labour Party.